General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) – Bridge Systems has handed over the first M3 amphibious bridge and ferry system to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).
A ceremony was held on 14 November 2024 at the GDELS site in Kaiserslautern, Germany, attended by Swedish Brigadier General Jonas Lotsne, representing the FMV, and Dr Christian Kauth, managing director of GDELS – Bridge Systems, among others.
The amphibious rig handed over during the ceremony is part of the first M3 batch for the Swedish armed forces. With the delivery of all four contracted lots, Sweden will become one of NATO’s three major M3 users alongside Germany and the United Kingdom. It will operate a fleet capable of negotiating a wet gap 400 m wide. Using coupling adapters, the M3 can also be used together with the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) and Standard Ribbon Bridge (SRB) pontoon bridge system.
Besides Sweden, other states such as the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Brasil and South Korea are equipped with these systems.
The M3 amphibious bridge and ferry system is the fastest available means for wet gap crossing within NATO. It can be used as a floating bridge or ferry to carry even the heaviest main battle tanks to negotiate wide wet gaps.
According to GDELS, the M3 is ready for use within minutes and has proven itself in use under a wide range of climatic and topographical conditions, from the tropics to the Arctic.
